1
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Tran TTQ, Narayanan C, Loes AN, Click TH, Pham NTH, Létourneau M, Harms MJ, Calmettes C, Agarwal PK, Doucet N. Ancestral sequence reconstruction dissects structural and functional differences among eosinophil ribonucleases. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107280. [PMID: 38588810 PMCID: PMC11101842 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Evolutionarily conserved structural folds can give rise to diverse biological functions, yet predicting atomic-scale interactions that contribute to the emergence of novel activities within such folds remains challenging. Pancreatic-type ribonucleases illustrate this complexity, sharing a core structure that has evolved to accommodate varied functions. In this study, we used ancestral sequence reconstruction to probe evolutionary and molecular determinants that distinguish biological activities within eosinophil members of the RNase 2/3 subfamily. Our investigation unveils functional, structural, and dynamical behaviors that differentiate the evolved ancestral ribonuclease (AncRNase) from its contemporary eosinophil RNase orthologs. Leveraging the potential of ancestral reconstruction for protein engineering, we used AncRNase predictions to design a minimal 4-residue variant that transforms human RNase 2 into a chimeric enzyme endowed with the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of RNase 3 members. This work provides unique insights into mutational and evolutionary pathways governing structure, function, and conformational states within the eosinophil RNase subfamily, offering potential for targeted modulation of RNase-associated functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Thanh Quynh Tran
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Chitra Narayanan
- Department of Chemistry, York College, City University of New York (CUNY), Jamaica, New York, USA
| | - Andrea N Loes
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
| | - Timothy H Click
- Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Mary, Bismarck, North Dakota, USA
| | - N T Hang Pham
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Myriam Létourneau
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael J Harms
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
| | - Charles Calmettes
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada; PROTEO, The Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, UQAM, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pratul K Agarwal
- Department of Physiological Sciences and High-Performance Computing Center, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Nicolas Doucet
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada; PROTEO, The Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, UQAM, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
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2
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Li J, Kang X, Guidi I, Lu L, Fernández-Millán P, Prats-Ejarque G, Boix E. Structural determinants for tRNA selective cleavage by RNase 2/EDN. Structure 2024; 32:328-341.e4. [PMID: 38228145 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) have emerged as key players of immunoregulation. Some RNase A superfamily members participate in the shaping of the tRFs population. By comparing wild-type and knockout macrophage cell lines, our previous work revealed that RNase 2 can selectively cleave tRNAs. Here, we confirm the in vitro protein cleavage pattern by screening of synthetic tRNAs, single-mutant variants, and anticodon-loop DNA/RNA hairpins. By sequencing of tRF products, we identified the cleavage selectivity of recombinant RNase 2 with base specificity at B1 (U/C) and B2 (A) sites, consistent with a previous cellular study. Lastly, protein-hairpin complexes were predicted by MD simulations. Results reveal the contribution of the α1, loop 3 and loop 4, and β6 RNase 2 regions, where residues Arg36/Asn39/Gln40/Asn65/Arg68/Arg132 provide interactions, spanning from P-1 to P2 sites that are essential for anticodon loop recognition. Knowledge of RNase 2-specific tRFs generation might guide new therapeutic approaches for infectious and immune-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiarui Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Xincheng Kang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irene Guidi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lu Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pablo Fernández-Millán
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Guillem Prats-Ejarque
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ester Boix
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
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3
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Wilson BAP, Li N, Martinez Fiesco JA, Dalilian M, Wang D, Smith EA, Wamiru A, Shah R, Goncharova EI, Beutler JA, Grkovic T, Zhang P, O’Keefe BR. Biochemical Discovery, Intracellular Evaluation, and Crystallographic Characterization of Synthetic and Natural Product Adenosine 3',5'-Cyclic Monophosphate-Dependent Protein Kinase A (PKA) Inhibitors. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:633-650. [PMID: 37082750 PMCID: PMC10111623 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
The recent demonstration that adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) plays an oncogenic role in a number of important cancers has led to a renaissance in drug development interest targeting this kinase. We therefore have established a suite of biochemical, cell-based, and structural biology assays for identifying and evaluating new pharmacophores for PKA inhibition. This discovery process started with a 384-well high-throughput screen of more than 200,000 substances, including fractionated natural product extracts. Identified active compounds were further prioritized in biochemical, biophysical, and cell-based assays. Priority lead compounds were assessed in detail to fully characterize several previously unrecognized PKA pharmacophores including the generation of new X-ray crystallography structures demonstrating unique interactions between PKA and bound inhibitor molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brice A. P. Wilson
- Molecular
Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Ning Li
- Center
for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Juliana A. Martinez Fiesco
- Center
for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Masoumeh Dalilian
- Molecular
Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
- Basic
Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Dongdong Wang
- Molecular
Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Emily A. Smith
- Molecular
Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
- Basic
Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Antony Wamiru
- Molecular
Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
- Basic
Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Rohan Shah
- Molecular
Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Ekaterina I. Goncharova
- Molecular
Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
- Advanced
Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick
National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - John A. Beutler
- Molecular
Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Tanja Grkovic
- Molecular
Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
- Natural
Products Branch, Developmental Therapeutics Program, Division of Cancer
Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer
Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Ping Zhang
- Center
for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Barry R. O’Keefe
- Molecular
Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
- Natural
Products Branch, Developmental Therapeutics Program, Division of Cancer
Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer
Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
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4
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Bernard DN, Narayanan C, Hempel T, Bafna K, Bhojane PP, Létourneau M, Howell EE, Agarwal PK, Doucet N. Conformational exchange divergence along the evolutionary pathway of eosinophil-associated ribonucleases. Structure 2023; 31:329-342.e4. [PMID: 36649708 PMCID: PMC9992247 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2022.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionary role of conformational exchange in the emergence and preservation of function within structural homologs remains elusive. While protein engineering has revealed the importance of flexibility in function, productive modulation of atomic-scale dynamics has only been achieved on a finite number of distinct folds. Allosteric control of unique members within dynamically diverse structural families requires a better appreciation of exchange phenomena. Here, we examined the functional and structural role of conformational exchange within eosinophil-associated ribonucleases. Biological and catalytic activity of various EARs was performed in parallel to mapping their conformational behavior on multiple timescales using NMR and computational analyses. Despite functional conservation and conformational seclusion to a specific domain, we show that EARs can display similar or distinct motional profiles, implying divergence rather than conservation of flexibility. Comparing progressively more distant enzymes should unravel how this subfamily has evolved new functions and/or altered their behavior at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- David N Bernard
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, 531 Boulevard des Prairies, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Chitra Narayanan
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, 531 Boulevard des Prairies, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada; Department of Chemistry, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ 07305, USA
| | - Tim Hempel
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 12, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Department of Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Khushboo Bafna
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Purva Prashant Bhojane
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Myriam Létourneau
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, 531 Boulevard des Prairies, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Elizabeth E Howell
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Pratul K Agarwal
- Department of Physiological Sciences and High-Performance Computing Center, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
| | - Nicolas Doucet
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, 531 Boulevard des Prairies, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada; PROTEO, the Québec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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5
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Li R, Heuer J, Kuckhoff T, Landfester K, Ferguson CTJ. pH-Triggered Recovery of Organic Polymer Photocatalytic Particles for the Production of High Value Compounds and Enhanced Recyclability. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202217652. [PMID: 36749562 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202217652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Pseudo-homogeneous polymeric photocatalysts are an emerging class of highly efficient and tunable photocatalytic materials, where the photocatalytic centers are easily accessible. The creation of highly efficient photocatalytic materials that can be rapidly separated and recovered is one of the critical challenges in photocatalytic chemistry. Here, we describe pH-responsive photocatalytic nanoparticles that are active and well-dispersed under acidic conditions but aggregate instantly upon elevation of pH, enabling easy recovery. These responsive photocatalytic polymers can be used in various photocatalytic transformations, including CrVI reduction and photoredox alkylation of indole derivative. Notably, the cationic nature of the photocatalyst accelerates reaction rate of an anionic substrate compared to uncharged species. These photocatalytic particles could be readily recycled allowing multiple successive photocatalytic reactions with no clear loss in activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Li
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Julian Heuer
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Kuckhoff
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Katharina Landfester
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Calum T J Ferguson
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany.,School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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6
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Skeens E, Lisi GP. Analysis of coordinated NMR chemical shifts to map allosteric regulatory networks in proteins. Methods 2023; 209:40-47. [PMID: 36535575 PMCID: PMC10173519 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2022.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The exquisite sensitivity of the NMR chemical shift to local environment makes it an ideal probe to assess atomic level perturbations in proteins of all sizes and structural compositions. Recent advances in solution and solid-state NMR spectroscopy of biomolecules have leveraged the chemical shift to report on short- and long-range couplings between individual amino acids to establish "networks" of residues that form the basis of allosteric pathways that transmit chemical signals through the protein matrix to induce functional responses. The simple premise that thermodynamically and functionally coupled regions of a protein (i.e. active and allosteric sites) should be reciprocally sensitive to structural or dynamic perturbations has enabled NMR spectroscopy, the premier method for molecular resolution of protein structural fluctuations, to occupy a place at the forefront of investigations into protein allostery. Here, we detail several key methods of NMR chemical shift analysis to extract mechanistic information about long-range chemical signaling in a protein, focusing on practical methodological aspects and the circumstances under which a given approach would be relevant. We also detail some of the experimental considerations that should be made when applying these methods to specific protein systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Skeens
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, & Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, United States
| | - George P Lisi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, & Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, United States.
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7
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Byun JA, VanSchouwen B, Huang J, Baryar U, Melacini G. Divergent allostery reveals critical differences between structurally homologous regulatory domains of Plasmodium falciparum and human protein kinase G. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101691. [PMID: 35143840 PMCID: PMC8931422 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a life-threatening infectious disease primarily caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite. The increasing resistance to current antimalarial drugs and their side effects has led to an urgent need for novel malaria drug targets, such as the P. falciparum cGMP-dependent protein kinase (pfPKG). However, PKG plays an essential regulatory role also in the human host. Human PKG (hPKG) and pfPKG are controlled by structurally homologs cGMP-binding domains (CBDs). Here, we show that despite the structural similarities between the essential CBDs in pfPKG and hPKG, their respective allosteric networks differ significantly. Through comparative analyses of CHESCA, molecular dynamics simulations, and backbone internal dynamics measurements, we found that conserved allosteric elements within the essential CBDs are wired differently in pfPKG and hPKG to implement cGMP-dependent kinase activation. Such pfPKG vs. hPKG rewiring of allosteric networks was unexpected due to the structural similarity between the two essential CBDs. Yet, such finding provides crucial information on which elements to target for selective inhibition of pfPKG vs. hPKG, which may potentially reduce undesired side-effects in malaria treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Ah Byun
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W. Hamilton, Canada
| | - Bryan VanSchouwen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W. Hamilton, Canada
| | - Jinfeng Huang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W. Hamilton, Canada
| | - Ubaidullah Baryar
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W. Hamilton, Canada
| | - Giuseppe Melacini
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W. Hamilton, Canada; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W. Hamilton, Canada.
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8
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Gautieri A, Rigoldi F, Torretta A, Redaelli A, Parisini E. In Silico Engineering of Enzyme Access Tunnels. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2397:203-225. [PMID: 34813066 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1826-4_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Enzyme engineering is a tailoring process that allows the modification of naturally occurring enzymes to provide them with improved catalytic efficiency, stability, or specificity. By introducing partial modifications to their sequence and to their structural features, enzyme engineering can transform natural enzymes into more efficient, specific and resistant biocatalysts and render them suitable for virtually countless industrial processes. Current enzyme engineering methods mostly target the active site of the enzyme, where the catalytic reaction takes place. Nonetheless, the tunnel that often connects the surface of an enzyme with its buried active site plays a key role in the activity of the enzyme as it acts as a gatekeeper and regulates the access of the substrate to the catalytic pocket. Hence, there is an increasing interest in targeting the sequence and the structure of substrate entrance tunnels in order to fine-tune enzymatic activity, regulate substrate specificity, or control reaction promiscuity.In this chapter, we describe the use of a rational in silico design and screening method to engineer the access tunnel of a fructosyl peptide oxidase with the aim to facilitate access to its catalytic site and to expand its substrate range. Our goal is to engineer this class of enzymes in order to utilize them for the direct detection of glycated proteins in diabetes monitoring devices. The design strategy involves remodeling of the backbone structure of the enzyme , a feature that is not possible with conventional enzyme engineering techniques such as single-point mutagenesis and that is highly unlikely to occur using a directed evolution approach.The proposed strategy, which results in a significant reduction in cost and time for the experimental production and characterization of candidate enzyme variants, represents a promising approach to the expedited identification of novel and improved enzymes. Rational enzyme design aims to provide in silico strategies for the fast, accurate, and inexpensive development of biocatalysts that can meet the needs of multiple industrial sectors, thus ultimately promoting the use of green chemistry and improving the efficiency of chemical processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Gautieri
- Biomolecular Engineering Lab, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Federica Rigoldi
- Biomolecular Engineering Lab, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Archimede Torretta
- Center for Nano Science and Technology @Polimi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Redaelli
- Biomolecular Engineering Lab, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Emilio Parisini
- Center for Nano Science and Technology @Polimi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Milan, Italy.
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, Latvia.
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9
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Berry DBG, Clegg I, Codina A, Lyall CL, Lowe JP, Hintermair U. Convenient and accurate insight into solution-phase equilibria from FlowNMR titrations. REACT CHEM ENG 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2re00123c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Solution phase titrations are made easy by multi-nuclear FlowNMR spectroscopy with automated, continuous titre addition to give accurate insights into Brønsted acid/base, hydrogen bonding, Lewis acid/base and metal/ligand binding equilibria under native conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B. G. Berry
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY Bath, UK
- Dynamic Reaction Monitoring Facility, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY Bath, UK
| | - Ian Clegg
- Bruker UK Ltd, Banner Lane, CV4 9GH Coventry, UK
| | - Anna Codina
- Bruker UK Ltd, Banner Lane, CV4 9GH Coventry, UK
| | - Catherine L. Lyall
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY Bath, UK
- Dynamic Reaction Monitoring Facility, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY Bath, UK
| | - John P. Lowe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY Bath, UK
- Dynamic Reaction Monitoring Facility, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY Bath, UK
| | - Ulrich Hintermair
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY Bath, UK
- Dynamic Reaction Monitoring Facility, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY Bath, UK
- Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY Bath, UK
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10
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Byun JA, VanSchouwen B, Parikh N, Akimoto M, McNicholl ET, Melacini G. State-selective frustration as a key driver of allosteric pluripotency. Chem Sci 2021; 12:11565-11575. [PMID: 34667558 PMCID: PMC8447923 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc01753e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Allosteric pluripotency arises when an allosteric effector switches from agonist to antagonist depending on the experimental conditions. For example, the Rp-cAMPS ligand of Protein Kinase A (PKA) switches from agonist to antagonist as the MgATP concentration increases and/or the kinase substrate affinity or concentration decreases. Understanding allosteric pluripotency is essential to design effective allosteric therapeutics with minimal side effects. Allosteric pluripotency of PKA arises from divergent allosteric responses of two homologous tandem cAMP-binding domains, resulting in a free energy landscape for the Rp-cAMPS-bound PKA regulatory subunit R1a in which the ground state is kinase inhibition-incompetent and the kinase inhibition-competent state is excited. The magnitude of the free energy difference between the ground non-inhibitory and excited inhibitory states (ΔGR,Gap) relative to the effective free energy of R1a binding to the catalytic subunit of PKA (ΔGR:C) dictates whether the antagonism-to-agonism switch occurs. However, the key drivers of ΔGR,Gap are not fully understood. Here, by analyzing an R1a mutant that selectively silences allosteric pluripotency, we show that a major determinant of ΔGR,Gap unexpectedly arises from state-selective frustration in the ground inhibition-incompetent state of Rp-cAMPS-bound R1a. Such frustration is caused by steric clashes between the phosphate-binding cassette and the helices preceding the lid, which interact with the phosphate and base of Rp-cAMPS, respectively. These clashes are absent in the excited inhibitory state, thus reducing the ΔGR,Gap to values comparable to ΔGR:C, as needed for allosteric pluripotency to occur. The resulting model of allosteric pluripotency is anticipated to assist the design of effective allosteric modulators. The Rp-cAMPS ligand of protein kinase A switches from agonist to antagonist depending on metabolite and proteomic contexts. We show that the state-selective frustration is a key driver of this allosteric pluripotency phenomenon.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Ah Byun
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada
| | - Bryan VanSchouwen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada
| | - Nishi Parikh
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada
| | - Madoka Akimoto
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada
| | - Eric Tyler McNicholl
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada
| | - Giuseppe Melacini
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada .,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada
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11
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Narayanan C, Bernard DN, Létourneau M, Gagnon J, Gagné D, Bafna K, Calmettes C, Couture JF, Agarwal PK, Doucet N. Insights into Structural and Dynamical Changes Experienced by Human RNase 6 upon Ligand Binding. Biochemistry 2020; 59:755-765. [PMID: 31909602 PMCID: PMC7296828 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Ribonuclease 6 (RNase 6) is one of eight catalytically active human pancreatic-type RNases that belong to a superfamily of rapidly evolving enzymes. Like some of its human homologues, RNase 6 exhibits host defense properties such as antiviral and antibacterial activities. Recently solved crystal structures of this enzyme in its nucleotide-free form show the conservation of the prototypical kidney-shaped fold preserved among vertebrate RNases, in addition to revealing the presence of a unique secondary active site. In this study, we determine the structural and conformational properties experienced by RNase 6 upon binding to substrate and product analogues. We present the first crystal structures of RNase 6 bound to a nucleotide ligand (adenosine 5'-monophosphate), in addition to RNase 6 bound to phosphate ions. While the enzyme preserves B2 subsite ligand preferences, our results show a lack of typical B2 subsite interactions normally observed in homologous ligand-bound RNases. A comparison of the dynamical properties of RNase 6 in its apo-, substrate-, and product-bound states highlight the unique dynamical properties experienced on time scales ranging from nano- to milliseconds. Overall, our results confirm the specific evolutionary adaptation of RNase 6 relative to its unique catalytic and biological activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chitra Narayanan
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, 531 Boulevard des Prairies, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - David N. Bernard
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, 531 Boulevard des Prairies, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Myriam Létourneau
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, 531 Boulevard des Prairies, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Jacinthe Gagnon
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, 531 Boulevard des Prairies, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Donald Gagné
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, 531 Boulevard des Prairies, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Khushboo Bafna
- Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Charles Calmettes
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, 531 Boulevard des Prairies, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada
- PROTEO, the Québec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Université Laval, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Jean-François Couture
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Pratul K. Agarwal
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Nicolas Doucet
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, 531 Boulevard des Prairies, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada
- PROTEO, the Québec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Université Laval, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
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Prats-Ejarque G, Lu L, Salazar VA, Moussaoui M, Boix E. Evolutionary Trends in RNA Base Selectivity Within the RNase A Superfamily. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1170. [PMID: 31649540 PMCID: PMC6794472 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a growing interest in the pharmaceutical industry to design novel tailored drugs for RNA targeting. The vertebrate-specific RNase A superfamily is nowadays one of the best characterized family of enzymes and comprises proteins involved in host defense with specific cytotoxic and immune-modulatory properties. We observe within the family a structural variability at the substrate-binding site associated to a diversification of biological properties. In this work, we have analyzed the enzyme specificity at the secondary base binding site. Towards this end, we have performed a kinetic characterization of the canonical RNase types together with a molecular dynamic simulation of selected representative family members. The RNases' catalytic activity and binding interactions have been compared using UpA, UpG and UpI dinucleotides. Our results highlight an evolutionary trend from lower to higher order vertebrates towards an enhanced discrimination power of selectivity for adenine respect to guanine at the secondary base binding site (B2). Interestingly, the shift from guanine to adenine preference is achieved in all the studied family members by equivalent residues through distinct interaction modes. We can identify specific polar and charged side chains that selectively interact with donor or acceptor purine groups. Overall, we observe selective bidentate polar and electrostatic interactions: Asn to N1/N6 and N6/N7 adenine groups in mammals versus Glu/Asp and Arg to N1/N2, N1/O6 and O6/N7 guanine groups in non-mammals. In addition, kinetic and molecular dynamics comparative results on UpG versus UpI emphasize the main contribution of Glu/Asp interactions to N1/N2 group for guanine selectivity in lower order vertebrates. A close inspection at the B2 binding pocket also highlights the principal contribution of the protein ß6 and L4 loop regions. Significant differences in the orientation and extension of the L4 loop could explain how the same residues can participate in alternative binding modes. The analysis suggests that within the RNase A superfamily an evolution pressure has taken place at the B2 secondary binding site to provide novel substrate-recognition patterns. We are confident that a better knowledge of the enzymes' nucleotide recognition pattern would contribute to identify their physiological substrate and eventually design applied therapies to modulate their biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillem Prats-Ejarque
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lu Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vivian A Salazar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mohammed Moussaoui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ester Boix
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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13
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Bafna K, Narayanan C, Chennubhotla SC, Doucet N, Agarwal PK. Nucleotide substrate binding characterization in human pancreatic-type ribonucleases. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220037. [PMID: 31393891 PMCID: PMC6687278 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Human genome contains a group of more than a dozen similar genes with diverse biological functions including antiviral, antibacterial and angiogenesis activities. The characterized gene products of this group show significant sequence similarity and a common structural fold associated with binding and cleavage of ribonucleic acid (RNA) substrates. Therefore, these proteins have been categorized as members of human pancreatic-type ribonucleases (hRNases). hRNases differ in cell/tissue localization and display distinct substrate binding preferences and a wide range of ribonucleolytic catalytic efficiencies. Limited information is available about structural and dynamical properties that influence this diversity among these homologous RNases. Here, we use computer simulations to characterize substrate interactions, electrostatics and dynamical properties of hRNases 1-7 associated with binding to two nucleotide substrates (ACAC and AUAU). Results indicate that even with complete conservation of active-site catalytic triad associated with ribonucleolytic activity, these enzymes show significant differences in substrate interactions. Detailed characterization suggests that in addition to binding site electrostatic and van der Waals interactions, dynamics of distal regions may also play a role in binding. Another key insight is that a small difference in temperature of 300 K (used in experimental studies) and 310 K (physiological temperature) shows significant changes in enzyme-substrate interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushboo Bafna
- Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Chitra Narayanan
- INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - S. Chakra Chennubhotla
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Nicolas Doucet
- INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, Laval, Québec, Canada
- PROTEO, the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Structure, and Engineering, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pratul K. Agarwal
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
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Kokkonen P, Bednar D, Pinto G, Prokop Z, Damborsky J. Engineering enzyme access tunnels. Biotechnol Adv 2019; 37:107386. [PMID: 31026496 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Enzymes are efficient and specific catalysts for many essential reactions in biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries. Many times, the natural enzymes do not display the catalytic efficiency, stability or specificity required for these industrial processes. The current enzyme engineering methods offer solutions to this problem, but they mainly target the buried active site where the chemical reaction takes place. Despite being many times ignored, the tunnels and channels connecting the environment with the active site are equally important for the catalytic properties of enzymes. Changes in the enzymatic tunnels and channels affect enzyme activity, specificity, promiscuity, enantioselectivity and stability. This review provides an overview of the emerging field of enzyme access tunnel engineering with case studies describing design of all the aforementioned properties. The software tools for the analysis of geometry and function of the enzymatic tunnels and channels and for the rational design of tunnel modifications will also be discussed. The combination of new software tools and enzyme engineering strategies will provide enzymes with access tunnels and channels specifically tailored for individual industrial processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piia Kokkonen
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - David Bednar
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekarska 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Gaspar Pinto
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekarska 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zbynek Prokop
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekarska 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Damborsky
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekarska 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic.
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